New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-30
SOCIETY AT THE CAPITAL.
THE GREAT BALL AT THE CHINESE LEGA-
TION
FEMININE CoMMENTs-THE GOOD-NATURED MINIS
TER" DIAMOND LANG"


hue and cry there is about the Chinese Minister'S
balf Why, the very best people at the ball. and
it's shame to say such dreadful things about Them
said one young woman to another on Thursday even
ing at the Presidents reception They were in quieo
corner of the East Room, halfhidden bya big ian
palm. and talking the chief social event OF
the season. comfortably and calmly but from diner
ent points of view One was from Army circles and
the other was Congressmans daughter. , u
"Oh don't believe the half that Is said lheIo
few ill-mannered people in the supper.rooin'
who seemed to have but the one object OF getting
square meal But most OF the guests Te retor took
halt dozen friends beside his own family. vi courso
don't believe that" replied the Army young woman,
In tone of cOmpacent insincerity and adjusting hef
bracelets as she dropped her eyelids.
No. of course not And don't believe IT'S true ,nat
Army officer escorted party OF ten and only h,i VI
them invited But Washington Ia Just the worst pace
in the world for exaggerati0ns." returned the Coh
grcssional young woman In much the same tohc,
sweet complacent and insincere But there werI
plenty of people there whose presence was comRn-
ment to the Minister. They seldom go to evening
parties. and they didn't go out of curiosity either ~
was entirely complimentary to the host. presume
there were fifty possibly hundred who pished ana
crowded in the supper room It's the old story OF
Tray and bad company. We must all fare alike lhe
official people must bear the brunt OF it all. too ,
"Oh. You foolish girls Talking of the ball. OF
coursc'" put in third young woman coming up az
that moment. "Why, don't you know. that-ts an
the newspapers All the fuss about the ball and me
supperroom. sensation TO fill space in the papers
Oh. you two don't know these papers as d. WIN
n wise look and toss of her head {" I don't believe
single man in the support room with his overcoat
There Just OF men close to the table eat
ing as fast ms they could That the worst thing
saw. But what n few ill-mannered creatures in
party OF six or seven hundred decent peoplef onlya
drop in the bucket and nothing to make such fnss
about Don't you know those who are making such
rumpus about il were in the supperroOm Themselves;
anxious to get anything to eat as anybody elsel
n resident family. They live in biz handsome house
and give such swell parties too They've been giving
them right along and have never paid the least atten
ton to the Chinese any more than to observation-disclosures
called or anything. You know. But az soon as the IN
vatons out for the ball, what do you think they
did Now guess"
Called of course What else could they do If they
wanted invitations 7" was the united answer.
"Well. they didn't do anything Of the sort. They
Just sent note to the Minister asking invitations Tor
the whole family" -
'And got thoml" gasped the Army and Congress
sional representatives with breathless interest
NO. they didn't. Their invitation for invitations
politely refused the ground that it was impossi.
BILE TO send ont any more But that wasn't the end OF
IT, and couldn't guess in month of SUNDAYS what
that best society faml, did next We're all best
society people, You know, so don't mind using the
term. Guess again.
" oh. give il mp. Tou will have to tell u.s. FER
"Ycs, they did. Well, they went after the other
Foreign Minister'S and begged several OF them 10 ask
the Chinese Minister for the invitations"
"And was that the end of it y asked the Army girl
"Of course it They got the invitations and
went to the ball" added the Congressional girl in
confident tone.
Both wrong They didn't get the invitations but
they AT the ball all the same was the triumphant
solution of the c0nundrum. And they're the last
family you'd suspect too, with air of mystery that
was very tantalizng to TIE two young women.
allow STRANGE 1t didn't get into the papers said
one of them Most everything does. yon know"
oh, was sworn not To reveal IT. wish could tell
you both, but can't. And I'm 80 sorry you two can't
know it, Now don't guess an body. Please don't. IL
will he so hard for me not to share my enjoyment with
you"
&. 10. Naut1 he Army niVl
And don't care either, as IT wasn't IN oar circle
said the Congressional girl.
about glass houses of course. Well IL you could have
heard one woman there talk about Others with low
dresses Her dress mind you was too awfullv low for
ANYTHING and the way she bcratcd women about her
for wearing dresses only half low as her own was too
anusIng" 49,
By the wav do you know that the dress Miss Waite
wore to lead the minuci in the kirmess genuine
court dress You know she came aiterward to the ball
{" no. Was II really ;" asked the NewYork girl. IL
wish had looked at her. real court dress !"
"Yes. 1t made in Paris when Miss Waite was
abroad and for her to when she presented TO
the Queen The white satin train is PLAIN. but the
front of the peticoat and sleeves are covered with
exquisite hand embroidery IN ooors."
1Oh. girls! I'd almost forgotten to tell yon some
thing that is absolutely too good 10 keep" the New
York girl said quickly, and adroity turning the con-
versation backward. The diplomats asked for any
number of invitations to the ball OF course they were
all invited But they asked Tor dozens OF friends be
sides They have plenty o. ontshe re1as ana some
cItra invitations Now after ALL there wasn't much
TO make n fuss about except the few Americans who
went without Invitations. And as You say the very
best people were there That IL n comfort"
Yes that is true, and II is comfort said the two
Young women, moving ont OF the corner, speaking
sHeerluy and relieved bv the conclusion arrived at
after the ten minutes talk.
probablv TO social event has been moro talked Of in
four DAYS than this ball given by the Chinese Minister
on Tuesday evening. Happily the disagreeable things
piled mp mountains high by guests themselves are TO
III at ha
tude. Without doubt Mr.. Chang Yen Hoon'shospality
was abused by the presence OF few coarse people In
yited and uninved, who would be llmannercd at all
times and places. But rs the young women declared
under the White House palms, the very best people
who arc well mannercd at all times and places we're at
the ball Better than any others OF the foreign colony
nj the Capital the Chinese be suaye and polite IN
tn, OF Christian rudeness and vugarity The Min
lister blandy smiled and courteonSy shut his ewes 10
the acts OF the few people who abused his hospitality
on the night OF his New Years ball Mr.. Chang Is fond
of balls ana seeing dancing Nothing shor OF ball
would in his opinion be worthy OF the New Year cee-
braton 1t need not be said that the young men OF his
Legation promptly acqueiscee IN the Minister'S desire
for the fesivity.
TO social gayety though but three OF them dance after
the American fashion They also like the Minister
in their love Of fine dress, and of the number. Mr.
Lang Ting Tsan il very fond OF diamonds. Hc0wenrs
several clusters of the gems in his cap and on Tho ngn
OF the ball his diamonds quite outshone those OF ms
tngush him from the other Liang, the translator Mr.
Ho Shcn Chez sad with tho blandcst OF Cnihosee
smiles. and In perfect English. Diamohu LUNG
wears eyeglasses and Ia the intellectual. or perhaps
should say scholarly looking, man in the Legation TIC
is the Third Secretary. The other LANG" or Lang
Shung, is OF two transators. Mr.. iio being inc
other The two men speak English equally well. Mr..
lilo is large round-face and jolly with keen sense of
the udiorous and he is not too decorous to make iin
of Americans when occasion offers good opportunity.
Mr. lilo is % Christian whose parents became Chrisuahs
in q mission school In Hong Kong. In this mission
school little Iio learned his English alphabet anu
English prayers and thrved growing to stature no.
among Chinese mon. lilo came 10 TINS county
with the irst Legation at Washington, and returned
when that went back, succeeded by the second iega
ton After absence of several years he Ia III "nsn
ington again, and is apparently delighted to rcenter
American official society. Mr.. Io ia devoted to pro
cudes OF delicate coors and lac will discourse as
turOusly any society woman OF blossom pun,
Ii. III yhifcU . nIXer